Sissoko has looked reborn in the last two games and has already doubled his assist tally for the season last year after bagging three assists in the emphatic 6-2 win over Norwich City. Both Sissoko and Wijnaldum have been handed the licence to hurt teams out wide in the last two matches, while Perez and Mitrovic are blossoming in attack.

McClaren could well go with the same system against Stoke City at St James’ Park today, and reflecting on the team’s attacking prospects, he told the Chronicle: “The likes of Moussa Sissoko and Gini Wijnaldum and our front four, with Ayoze Perez and Mitro being the target man, our fans are starting to have a connection with them.

“I think that’s great – it’s what we want.”

McClaren put plenty of emphasis on “performance” against Stoke this weekend, but was also acutely aware of Newcastle’s precarious Premier League position.

He said: “Yes, there is the Premier League position, but we want to progress as a team and we can see that.

“That now needs to turn around into consistency and results.

“That’s what I have always seen from the players from Tuesday onwards, that’s what our determination is.

“When you see the Norwich game, the first half against Chelsea and Man City and Sunderland last weekend, you see a team that are together and have a good attitude.

“They are fighting for each other and playing good football. I am enjoying that.

“I could have done with a result, but I am certainly enjoying the football we are playing.

“If you chase results too much you forget about the performance.

“We’ve said: ‘Concentrate on performance and the results will come’.

“We have to keep performing like that and get some consistency in our game.”

Newcastle United head coach Steve McClaren

McClaren felt that there were clear signs of progress in the win against Norwich in the last home game.

He said: “It was a statement of the progress we have made. It was so frustrating that we didn’t follow that up in terms of a result.

“We did in terms of the performance in the first half, with the result we didn’t.

“It’s been two steps forward, two steps back.

“We just hope because it was a derby game that the aftermath doesn’t affect us too much – that’s players, fans and everybody.

“I thought against Norwich there were certain spells when we needed the fans behind us and they were there.

“There were certain spells where the players needed to respond to the crowd, and they did too. We hope for the same against Stoke.

“They were fantastic last weekend, the players appreciated that and we need that again.

Newcastle lost 3-0 to Sunderland last weekend and McClaren wanted to place on record his thanks to the fans who travelled to Wearside and backed the team until the end.

He said: “Our fans were fantastic at Sunderland.

“The players handle it so, so well.

“We need that atmosphere again, handle it and take it on.

“It’s massive. I think if we can get an atmosphere like we’ve had for the Stoke game it will be massive.”